Voice For Liberty

Tag: Activism

  • Why Bell, Calif. matters

    The city manager of Bell, Calif., a town of some 38,000, earned $787,637 per year. He quit in the face of citizen uproar when this became public, but he’ll retire with a pension of about $600,000 annually.

    Beka Romm, executive director for American Majority Kansas, explains why citizen activists need to keep focused on local governments.

    Focus Local: 10 Reasons Why Bell, CA Matters

    By Beka Romm

    But when I start talking about the importance of focusing locally (holding your own city council, school district and county commission accountable for their actions), most people do zone off. I get it. It’s not sexy. On the federal level, even in state government, there is glitz, glamour, power, intrigue, sometimes even scandal. On the local level, not so much, right? Wrong. To prove my point, here are the top 10 reasons why Bell, CA matters:

    Continue reading at Focus Local: 10 Reasons Why Bell, CA Matters.

  • RightOnline in Las Vegas this week

    Later this week the RightOnline Conference takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    This is the third year for this conference. It’s held at the same time — and in the same city — as the Netroots Nation. Or NutRoots, take your pick.

    The event features a lot of training and some great speakers. Michele Bachmann will headline the Friday dinner, and the Saturday general session features speakers like Andrew Napolitano, Mike Pence, Robert McDowell, Herman Cain, Erick Erickson, and John Fund.

    RightOnline is sponsored by the Americans for Prosperity Foundation. Click on Podcast: Erik Telford Previews the RightOnline Conference to hear an interview with AFP’s Erik Telford. To keep up on Twitter, the hasthag is #ro10.

  • Activist training to be offered in Wichita

    American Majority is pleased to announce an Activist Training class will be conducted on Saturday, July 24, in Wichita, Kan., to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

    The training will take place in the meeting room at Mike’s Steakhouse located at 2131 S Broadway in Wichita from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. Check in begins at 11:45 am. The cost is $25 per attendee and pre-registration is required. Lunch may be purchased at the time of the event, if desired.

    The training will be conducted by Laurie Skipper, a certified American Majority Mechanic Trainer.

    Topics to be covered during the Training include:

    • The System (an in-depth look at the system we’re in, how we got here, and what we can do about it)
    • Grassroots Action (ideas and practical steps to engage our communities and organize a coalition of volunteers)
    • Precinct Power (changing your community one precinct at a time with specific micro-targeting and focused action)
    • Patriots 2.0 (effectively utilizing social networking tools, blogs, wiki projects and other technologically-driven platforms)

    Training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.

    More information and registration is available by clicking on American Majority — Wichita Event. Online registration is required prior to the event.

    If you have any questions or would like additional information, contact Laurie Skipper at Laurie@AMMechanics.org or call (316) 686-2525.

  • Activist training offered in Wichita

    Following is an announcement of an event in Wichita that will help activists learn to be effective in their causes. I attended an American Majority training event in Kansas City last week, and it was very informative.

    American Majority is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Saturday, June 5, in Wichita, KS, to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

    The training will take place at Lionel D. Alford Library located at 3447 S. Meridian in Wichita from 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm. Registration opens at 12:15 pm. The cost is $25 per attendee.

    The training will be conducted by Laurie Skipper, a certified American Majority Mechanic Trainer.

    Topics to be covered during the training include:

    • The System (an in-depth look at the system we’re in, how we got here, and what we can do about it)
    • Grassroots Action (ideas and practical steps to engage our communities and organize a coalition of volunteers)
    • Precinct Power (changing your community one precinct at a time with specific micro-targeting and focused action)
    • Patriots 2.0 (effectively utilizing social networking tools, blogs, wiki projects and other technologically-driven platforms)

    Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.

    More information and registration is available by clicking on American Majority — Wichita Event. Online registration is required.

    If you have any questions or would like additional information, contact Laurie Skipper at Laurie@AMMechanics.org or call 316-686-2525.

  • Summit to provide training in activism

    Next Friday and Saturday (May 7 and 8) American Majority is holding a Post-Party Summit in Kansas City. These events are being held around the country to help organize and train activists and candidates who want to work for individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

    American Majority is a national non-profit, non-partisan political training institute whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders. The Kansas City summit is sponsored by organizations in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri.

    In an email conversation I had with Beka Romm, who is Executive Director of American Majority’s Kansas office, she told how important it is to take action, and to learn how to become active:

    The summit is designed to follow the tea parties with in-depth training to give activists and candidates the practical tools they need to implement freedom. If we’re to turn our nation around, it will require the local tea parties and 9.12 groups to focus on such things as identifying and training new leaders for state and local office, and then supporting them with money and grassroots work such as door-to-door and phone banking.

    It will require hard-wiring and micro-targeting precincts. It will require citizen journalists providing greater transparency for government and elected officials. It will require a far more robust presence online, with Facebook, Twitter, wikis and blogs. In the intensive training that we’ll offer, individuals can choose the training topics that interest them most from national trainers such as Ned Ryun and local experts including Earl Glynn.

    She added that the cost of the event is $50 (pre-registered), and that includes all meals (both Friday and Saturday), training, and materials.

    Just a few days ago 400 citizens gathered in Topeka for the Kansas Defending the American Dream Summit 2010, produced by Americans for Prosperity-Kansas. This American Majority event is a way for interested citizens like those who attended the AFP summit to learn how to become activists.

    To learn more about the event and register, click on summit.americanmajority.org.

  • Tea party leaders analysis released

    The Sam Adams Alliance, an organization that supports free market principles, has released a study that examines tea party leaders, their thoughts, and their motivations. It found that many tea party leaders are new to political activism, and having experienced empowerment, are ready to move to the next step of activism. “This is their time to act,” the report concludes.

    While it is often thought that the tea party movement might blossom into a third party, that wasn’t the sentiment of those surveyed: “A striking 85.7 percent said ‘No’ when asked if they were in favor of moving in the direction of a Third Party.” Eric O’Keefe, Chairman of the Sam Adams Alliance, wrote in his letter introducing the analysis: “We found a deep distrust of current political leaders and both political parties, but strong understanding that practical considerations argue against a third party.”

    Political party affiliation was largely Republican: “61.7 percent Republican, 27.7 percent Independent, and 10.6 percent Tea Party.”

    Social issues were not important to the respondents. Instead, fiscal and economic issues are the focus: “91.7 percent said ‘budget’ is “very important, followed by the ‘economy’ at 85.4 percent, and ‘defense’ at 79.6 percent.”

    The tea party leaders are relatively new to politics: “46.9% were uninvolved or rarely involved with politics prior to 2009.” Also: “Tea Party activists are for the most part new to this role. They are neither practiced nor polished in activism; but having experienced a taste of the empowerment that comes with action, they feel more than ever that this is their time to act.”

    But tea party leaders are self-aware and want to advance the movement: “They are also motivated to take this to the next level — and are actively preparing for a phase two.”

    Read the report and learn more about the Sam Adams Alliance at Activist Insights. A direct link to the report is The Early Adopters.

  • Organizing for a free America summits

    American Majority is a national non-profit, non-partisan political training institute whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market. To support this goal, American Majority is offering a number of post party summits across the country. The goal of these summits, according to American Majority, is to “highlight and emphasize real tools that an organization, campaign, and individual activist can implement immediately.”

    American Majority also says: “It is not enough to stand on the sideline and it is not enough to protest — conservatives must learn how to implement freedom and liberty on the ground in their communities. With the right tools and training, conservative activists can be successful in taking their community back to the principles of limited government, individual freedom and the free market.”

    For those in Kansas, the closest event is on Friday and Saturday May 7 and 8, at the Embassy Suites KC – International Airport in Kansas City, Missouri. The cost for the event is reasonable, as is the special hotel rate.

    To learn more about the event and register, click on summit.americanmajority.org.

  • American Liberty Tour stop added in Salina

    It’s coming to Kansas City, and now a stop has been added in Salina.

    It’s the American Liberty Tour, which “seeks to bring together and support a new and dynamic breed of citizen activists borne of the desire to preserve personal and economic freedom.” It’s a collaborative effort of some great freedom-loving organizations: American Liberty Alliance, American Majority, Americans for Limited Government and the Sam Adams Alliance.

    The stop in Kansas City next Wednesday has always been in the plan, and now on Tuesday evening, the tour will stop in Salina. The web page for this event is American Liberty Tour Stop: Salina, KS.

  • More local government 101 in Wichita

    Here’s a message from John Todd about additional training provided by Americans For Prosperity.

    Tuesday, September 22, 2009 & Wednesday, September 23, 2009

    Local Government 101: Learn how to get involved in Sedgwick County Government and how to influence public policy as a citizen activist.

    With Special Guest Sedgwick County Commissioner Karl Peterjohn

    7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday September 22, 2009, at the Wichita Area Builders Association meeting room, 730 N. Main, Wichita, Kansas 67203

    Then, a follow-up event:

    9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Wednesday September 23, 2009
    Attend a Board of Sedgwick County Commission Meeting
    Sedgwick County Court House, 525 N. Main, Wichita, Kansas 67202

    Followed by Lunch 11:45 a.m. To 1:00 p.m.
    Spangles Restaurant (Private Meeting Room)
    612 S. Broadway, Wichita, Kansas 67202
    Menu: Individual choices off the menu with individual tickets plus gratuity.

    Please RSVP to either John Todd, Wichita AFP volunteer coordinator
    john@johntodd.net or (316) 312-7335, or to Susan Estes, AFP Field Director, Kansas sestes@afphq.org or (316) 269-4170

    Attendees will participate in an interactive presentation of the inner workings of Sedgwick County Government and how to foster constructive relationships with elected and non-elected officials and learn ways to influence public policy. Part One is an evening session at the Wichita Area Builders Association meeting room from 7:00-9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22. In this class we will examine a typical Sedgwick County Board of County Commission meeting agenda. Part Two’s session will begin at the Sedgwick County Courthouse on Wednesday, September 23 from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. to observe a Board of County Commission meeting, followed by a luncheon discussion at Spangles Restaurant meeting room from 11:45 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.